You are here

Alumni

Ahmad Al Ghazi

Season 2

Country:

KSA

Product:

Goom

About the Project

Ahmad’s invention, Goom, is a motorized walker and assistive standing device designed for the elderly and handicapped. Goom first helps lift its user from a sitting position to stand up. Then, propped up by ergonomic supports, users can move easily from one place to another with Goom’s motorized wheels. Believing that Goom will support freedom of movement for others, Ahmad sees much potential for more mobility devices like his not-so-traditional walker in the future.

What did Ahmad achieve so far?

Ahmad enjoyed rolling up his sleeves in the stimulating environment of Qatar Science & Technology Park – it left him with an appetite for more. The committed inventor followed his heart to the global epicenter of technology innovation, Silicon Valley. There, he created his own enterprise and successfully applied for three US patents for Goom. Meanwhile, he continued his education, earning a Master of Engineering Management degree from Santa Clara University in 2013.

Ahmad, ever tireless, didn’t stop there. Plunging headfirst into the busy work culture of entrepreneurial Silicon Valley, Ahmad became passionate about several other initiatives. He poured his creative energy into producing and hosting a YouTube show called “Huna Silicon Valley,” aimed at demonstrating to fellow Arabs what the area is like. He also developed a mobile app, Hofrah (meaning ‘pothole’) designed to warn motorists of unexpected obstacles like potholes on the roads. Ahmad additionally founded Esamyon, an organization that facilitates knowledge exchange between entrepreneurs and venture capitalists through workshops and lectures.

Future insights...

As he looks deeper into what medical devices are available, Ahmad notices that the design of tools used by the elderly for mobility, like canes and walkers, have not been changed in many years. Seeing an opportunity to disrupt the industry through innovation, Ahmad and his colleagues founded CAN Industries, a company dedicated to producing advanced mobility devices for the elderly. CAN Industries’ first product, a re-invention of the cane, is in development. The company also has three patents pending.

Personal Reflection

“The Arab world needs more innovators to take entrepreneurial risks for the benefit of our communities,” said Ahmad. “Stars of Science is an initiative that encourages us to seize opportunities and be unafraid of calculated risk. The show developed my skills, but more importantly instilled in me a drive to spread my love of innovating to others around the region.”